Aftermath
by Rosa Heartlily
Summary: The sequel to The Sorceress' Knight.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations or creatures from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

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Aftermath

Chapter 1

The camp bustled with preparations for the evening meal. There was a team of cooks for every one hundred men, and all twenty teams were busy around their cooking fires. The aromas of spiced meats, and vegetables flavoured with herbs hung over the lines of tents. The men tried to distract their rumbling bellies by polishing swords and fletching arrows, but to no avail. All around there were attempts at banter and conversation, but they all ended when somebody turned towards the nearest fire and asked, 'how much longer?'.

Then, at last, when it seemed they would all go mad from hunger, the head cook from each team began to bang his ladle against his cooking-pot. From all over the camp, the tolling went up, announcing that the time for hunger was past. In the gathering dusk, men gathered up tin plates and mugs and headed towards their well-earned meals. 

Around each fire were set five trestle tables, with a bench that would seat ten on either side. The men sat down in an orderly manner, conversation flowing freely, now that the promised food was close. At each fire, the head cook ladled food into large serving bowls for some of his assistants to distribute, whilst others filled pitchers from the huge water jars which stood close by. The ballet proceeded as it did every evening, and all those engaged in it were secure in the knowledge that, come what may, it would happen again tomorrow.

*****************

Alone in her tent, Edea sagged in her chair. Her elbows rested on her knees, and her head rested on her hands. Her long hair had almost completed its escape from the leather thong which she had tied at the nape of her neck that morning. Now the dark curtain hung down around her head and arms, obscuring her face. On the table next to her, sat a plate of food, untouched.

A lamp in the centre of the table cast a flickering glow, illuminating the few objects in the tent. As well as the table, and the two chairs positioned either side of it, were two narrow camp beds, one for Edea, the other for Cid, though they were rarely used at the same time. In the centre of the tent, a brazier gave off a welcome warmth in the chill evening air, and added it's dull red light to the yellow glimmer of the lamp. 

Sitting with her head in her hands, Edea was nevertheless aware of her surroundings. Scents came to her from the plate of food, from the oil in the lamp, from the well-trodden earth underfoot. From outside, came the vague sounds of the men gathering for their meal, the hoot of an owl out hunting, whilst from inside, she could hear the settling of coals in the brazier, and the faint fizz-fizz-pop of the lamp wick as it slowly burned away.

*****************

Cid hurried through clinging mud and obstructing bodies as he moved through the camp towards the tent he shared with Edea. The soldiers, intent on their approaching meal, did not take kindly to being shoved by the cloaked figure who approached them out of the gloom and vanished between the hulking tents. There was some shoving back, which might have developed into something more if he had not been moving so quickly, and some abuse trailed after him on the breeze.

As buoyed up as he was by his news, Cid barely noticed the soldiers, except as obstacles. The mud, churned up by hundreds of feet going about their business, made sucking noises as he raised each foot, dragging it out of the mire which sought to consume it. Battling against the tide of hungry men, he pushed on, undeterred and undaunted.

*****************

In her head, Edea was reliving the endless, terrible years of this war, the suffering and death, and the injuries that made life worse than death. Mothers without sons, wives without husbands, children without fathers. The suffering was not confined to the battlefield, by any means. If she had had any tears left, she would have wept for all the thousands who had suffered, but whom she had never met.

When she and Cid had first escaped the desert, and found their way back to civilisation, their only thoughts had been for each other, and to arrange an early wedding. The political tension which was growing between Galbadia and Esthar had meant very little to them. Always on the lookout for new technologies, new ways of doing things, Esthar had embraced Sorceress Adel, and the power she promised. However, her ambitions had not stopped at sharing her knowledge with Esthar's scientists. She wanted power for herself; she wanted the world.

Galbadia, close and, previously, friendly neighbour to Esthar, had asked that the new wonders be shared, so that both nations could benefit. Esthar, like children with a new toy, refused, stubbornly, relentlessly and with no good reasons given. Eventually, Galbadia's persistence in this quest had sent Esthar, via Adel, into such a rage that war was the only option.

Arriving at his parent's home to show off his new bride, Cid was alarmed to find his father, a retired general, preparing to set off to re-enlist in Galbadia's army. Discovering that part of the threat arose from a Sorceress, Cid and Edea felt they had no choice but to join him. Their different areas of expertise had been invaluable. Cid had travelled over most of the planet during the last few years, and had spent several months in Esthar, so he was able to provide plenty of useful intelligence. Edea's value was obvious.

At first, they had been puzzled by Adel's seemingly endless and limitless power. She lent her powers to several machines developed by the Estharians, which they used gleefully, and relentlessly, against the Galbadian forces. There were apparently no rest periods when Adel replenished her strength.

Then, quite by accident, they had discovered the first Sorcerer. He was a boy, less than ten years old, living in an ordinary town. His family seemed in no way extraordinary, except that his mother had a slight talent for healing. The Galbadian army had camped near his town in order to replenish their supplies. The negotiators, as well as enquiring after food and water, had asked about healers who would be willing to help the injured. They were directed to the boy's house.

When they arrived, the woman refused her help, claiming to have a sick child of her own to care for, and closed the door in their faces. As they left, one of the men happened to look in through one of the windows and was astonished to see the boy sitting cross-legged in the centre of the room. His mother entered the room and bustled about for a few minutes, but the watching soldiers never saw the boy move, or even acknowledge her presence.

They reported all of this to Edea, and a dark suspicion began to grow in her mind, although, in the end, the truth was far more fantastic than she could have guessed. She gained entry to the house, although she never fully explained quite how, and questioned both parents at length. At first, she had expected that some form of coma affected the boy, but finally the woman broke down and poured out her story.

About two years previously, a strange woman had come to the house. She was very interested in the boy, not only because of his mother's healing powers, but also because of the strange dreams his father had. She suspected some latent magic rested in the boy because he was the product of this unusual pairing. She conducted some tests, and went away content, promising to be back. When she did return, she induced a permanent trance-state on the boy, and refused to remove it. Then she left, never to return.

Research conducted by Galbadian scientists showed that both the boy and his father had latent powers of sorcery. It was finally decided that true magic only manifested in women, and only then from a combination of parents similar to the boy's. However, when the child was a boy, a form of power arose which could be drawn on by a Sorceress.

The removal of this first Sorcerer from Adel's clutches did not significantly reduce her power, and it became apparent that there were other Sorcerers also being used by her. The hunt was on for these other boys, trapped by Adel, and no less victims than the soldiers who died on the battlefield. So far, two other boys had been found and freed. Indications showed that there was only one boy left, only one more Sorcerer feeding Adel's power.

*****************

Finally, Cid broke through the last row of men who were intent only on food, and was able to move more easily, although the mud still tried to halt him. He too had suffered personal loss in this war. His father, always one to lead by example, had died early in the hostilities. Sitting in his tent on the front line, he had been blasted apart by one of Esthar's incredible weapons. Cid's mother had died soon after from grief.

Cid had channelled his own grief into working harder than ever to rid the world of Adel. It had been no way to start a marriage, he reflected. He and Edea rarely talked except at meetings with other leaders of the war effort to discuss tactics and strategy. They shared a tent, but not a bed as the camp beds barely held one person, let alone two.

But his news would change all of that. At last, the end of the war was not only a possible; it was certain.

*****************

Now, Edea's thoughts turned to the events of this day. In the midst of so much pain and loss, one more story, one more life to add to her conscience. 

Less than two hours ago, a young man, hardly more than a boy really, had died in her arms. He had come from Winhill, he told her, and it crossed her mind that she might have delivered him into the world. Whilst the doctors and nurses worked to close up his wounds, she talked to him, allowing a little of her power to flow into him, to aid his healing. But in the end it was no use. He had lost too much blood, had too many holes in him. He had been fighting for Esthar, but that didn't matter. He should have been flirting with young women in the town square of Winhill, not dying in the mud and filth of an army camp.

How she hated this war; how she longed for it to be over.

*****************

Cid burst through the entrance to the tent, ready to shout his news, but pulled up short when he saw his wife sitting huddled over, the plate of cold food next to her. He rushed across the tent to kneel by her side.

'Edea, are you OK?' he asked, voice laced with worry.

Edea slowly shook her head, first one way, then the other, as if each movement required great thought and effort.

'No, Cid, I'm not OK. I won't be OK until this Hyne-damned war is over.'

'Well, I've got some good news for you then,' Cid said, his voice now trembling with excitement.

Edea merely looked at him, and he saw again the pain and sorrow that had been in her eyes in the desert. Silently she demanded that he tell her, just tell her, whatever it was, then just get out, leave her alone to grieve.

'Edea, we've found him!' Cid exclaimed, then seeing her blank expression he went on to explain. 'We've found the last Sorcerer.'

A/N: If you review my work, you will earn my undying gratitude, and I promise to read and review your work asap. I welcome all criticism, bad as well as good, but please try to be constructive! Thank-you for reading. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations or creatures from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

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Aftermath

Chapter 2

'From Raine Leonhart, Winhill Pub

'To Edea Kramer, Galbadian Army Camp, Monterosa Plateau 

'Greetings.'

*****************

In the quiet gloom of her tent, Edea held Raine's letter close to her heart. She remembered her most recent stay in Winhill as one of the happiest times of her life, and that was due in large part to Raine. The younger woman had stood by Edea, making a point of asking the Sorceress to care for her father in his last illness in the face of increasingly hostile opposition from the townsfolk. 

When things had really turned ugly, it had been Raine who aided her escape from the town. Without Raine, Edea might just have made it out of her house alive, but she would not have got far before the townspeople ran her down, or one particularly bloodthirsty farmer simply shot her. But of course, she did not just owe her physical existence to Raine.

In arranging Edea's escape, Raine had also managed to thrust her into the company of a quiet, thoughtful young man called Cid. Cid had spent the summer in Winhill earning enough money for lodging and the odd pint of beer by doing casual work for the local farmers. Stricken by Edea's plight, he had willingly helped Raine to help Edea flee the town. In the process of that journey, Cid and Edea had fallen in love.

Over the years, Raine and Edea had maintained as constant a correspondence as the war would allow. Edea, for security reasons, could say very little about her day to day experiences with the army, but she had found great comfort in the reports from Winhill. Sometimes, it took several weeks for the letters to catch up with her as the army travelled about, and recently she had received a bundle of five or six in one go. Since they had been camped on the Monterosa Plateau, only a short distance from the village of the last Sorcerer, for over a month, the postal service had become more reliable. Raine wrote regularly once a week, and now the letters arrived regularly, too.

With eager fingers, Edea spread the letter out on her knee and prepared to enjoy the normal, almost humdrum, news of a place she still thought of as home.

*****************

'Well,' wrote Raine, 'I'm writing my weekly epistle, so it must be Wednesday. I've been completely run off my feet the last few days. All the babies that were started the last time the menfolk were on leave decided to arrive within the same forty-eight hours. It's just a mercy you were able to pass on some of your skills to me and I was able to help old Rebeh, the midwife from the next town. She said she's never seen so many babies so eager to share a birthday. She was really grateful for my assistance, too; kept telling people I was her apprentice. I decided not to mention that I have enough to do with a pub to run.

'Then she started on the inevitable "You'll be looking for a man yourself, soon, Deary, so as to have your own bundle of joy". Well, Edea, we both know babies are cute enough, but the thought of nappies and midnight feeds gives me the shakes. And, of course, Ellone takes up so much time. 

'Oh, by the way, she says "Thanks" for the lovely scarf you sent her for her birthday, last week. I'm sure it was very expensive. I've made her put it away in an old chest we found in the attic. She's started going round telling everyone she has a 'hope chest'! I've said she can take it out and wear it on VERY special occasions, until she is grown up. Unfortunately, when you are only four, waiting until you are grown up sounds like waiting forever, and she isn't the most patient child at the best of times.

'Old Mrs Horran at the grocer's died on Friday. It wasn't a surprise, but still a shock. She never got over the death of her youngest last winter in the Seige of Deling, you know. I know you and I were never keen on her, or more accurately she never accepted you, but I know you will offer up a prayer for her and the family she leaves behind.

'I'm so glad to hear news of your progress in ending the war. I know you can't say much at the moment, but what you did say has lifted everybody's spirits. I don't think people round here have quite realised that the Sorceress who is leading our brave troops is the same one they wanted to shoot as a witch seven years ago.

'I don't know if you've had time to think about this, but tomorrow's the seventh anniversary of Dad dying. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I'm convinced I can hear him clearing the tables downstairs, or manhandling one of the old barrels. Then I realise it can't be Dad, it's just my mind playing tricks. I haven't mentioned this to anyone else; you know what they're like round here – they'd be chasing me off next, landlady or no!

'Oh, Edea, I'm going to have to stop writing for a bit. I've just received news that a young Galbadian soldier has been found wandering around the fields. He's alive, but only just, they say. Anyway, I'm off to see what other skills you taught me, and whether I can use them well enough to save him. I shall finish this when I can.

'Bye for now.'

*****************

Edea frowned at the letter in her hand. What was a Galbadian soldier doing wandering around the fields outside Winhill? There were no troops posted within a hundred miles of the town, and no special missions in that area either. To all intents and purposes, Winhill was just a sleepy little town, which nobody cared about unless they, well, cared about it. It was certainly of no military importance.

At first, she thought about finding Cid, and seeing if he knew of any operations in that area. Finally, she decided to read on, and see if the soldier had survived and if so, what his name was, and what his orders had been.

*****************

'Hi, Edea, I'm back! It's very late on Wednesday, no, sorry, I've just checked my clock – it's actually very early on Thursday. But I couldn't go to bed without telling you all about our visitor.

'He's a soldier as I said, or more accurately a Sergeant, in the Galbadian army. We found that out from his uniform, as he collapsed into unconsciousness just after they found him. In fact, he only regained consciousness about half an hour ago, and then I gave him a sleeping draft to help him get some proper sleep tonight.

'Sorry, Edea, I'm telling this story very badly. Let me start at the beginning. He was found about a mile from the town, sitting under a tree with the most awful wound on his head. Jem's lads found him; they've taken on the running of the farm while their father's away, you know. Anyway, he was barely conscious when they discovered him, and I hate to think what would have happened if they hadn't.

'They bundled him up onto their cart, and trotted down here as quickly as they could. They were all for laying him on one of the tables in the pub, if you'll believe it, but I got them to move him into your old house. They weren't very comfortable about it, but I'm sure there's still a healing aura over the place. So, I dug out some spare bedding, and made up the bed upstairs. I found Ellone's toy piano in there – I'll have to ask her how it got there.

'Well, I did what every medic does in those situations – sent people off for hot water and clean cloths, and when they were all gone, got down to work. It isn't hard to guess the cause of his unconsciousness – there was a deep gash across his forehead. The funny thing about it, though, is that it wasn't a recent wound. It was well scabbed over; I'd say it was at least a couple of days old. Maybe he'll be able to tell us more about it in the morning.

'I sterilised a needle in the flame of a candle and stitched the wound as best I could. I'll have to keep an eye on it to check it doesn't get infected, but I washed it out well with your patented disinfecting solution. It raised some eyebrows (my "helpers" had returned by now, armed with enough hot water and clean cloths to start a hospital) and it's a really good thing the poor lad was out cold.

'Once I'd attended to his head wound, I got a couple of the men to help me undress him. He had lots of cuts and scrapes all over his body, but nothing as serious as the head injury. So I just washed them all with the disinfectant, and applied some salve.

'By this time, all of the onlookers were getting a bit bored. I mean, this exciting and interesting stranger was just lying there, not even bleeding. So, it didn't take too much work to shoo them all out. I got a couple of people to promise to help me watch him through the night, but I wanted to take the first watch myself, in case he woke up.

'As I said, eventually he did awaken for a few minutes. He told me his name, and the names of the men he was with. He seemed very anxious about them. As far as I could make out, they got separated somewhere out at sea. I didn't know the Galbadian army had a naval division? Perhaps Cid can shed some light on this?

'I calmed him down as much as I could, and got him to drink his medicine like a good boy (listen to me – I'll be Nurse Leonhart next) and then he drifted off to sleep as quiet as anything. I got my relief to take over, and then came home.

'Oh, well, I really have to go to bed now – I can hardly keep my eyes open.

'I've just read the letter over and realised I still haven't told you the soldier's name; it's Loire, Laguna Loire.

'Well, I'm really off to bed now – write soon.'

*****************

Edea sat staring at the letter for a long time, before setting off in search of Cid.

A/N: If you review my work, you will earn my undying gratitude, and I promise to read and review your work asap. I welcome all criticism, bad as well as good, but please try to be constructive! Thank-you for reading. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations or creatures from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

****

A/N: Apologies for taking so long with this chapter. I read the script of FF8 on IcyBrian's site, and realised that I had got some of the events of the game out of sequence. It took a while for me to gather up the will to sort it all out! Anyway, it's here now – enjoy!

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Aftermath

Chapter 3

As Cid had guessed, the finding of the last Sorcerer by the Galbadian forces proved to be the beginning of the end for Adel. However, it took much longer to free him from Adel's clutches than it had taken with the other three boys.

Senet was about twelve years old, but no one could say how old he was for certain. He had been abandoned to the mercy of the little town on the Monterosa Plateau as a tiny baby. Who his parents were, where he had come from were questions without hope of an answer.

He had been taken in by the mayor of the town, who in turn handed him over to the care of his cook who had a son of about the same age. The two boys grew up side by side, but Senet was always aware that he was different. The other children never missed an opportunity to tell him how _weird_ he was.

When he was about two years old, the nightmares began. At first, his adoptive mother put them down to the night-horrors experienced by many toddlers. However, as he grew bigger the intensity of his dreams also grew. Some nights he would awaken the whole house with his screams, leaving everyone unsettled and upset. He could never remember much of his visions when he woke up, except that it was very dark and he felt trapped.

Then, a strange woman had arrived, promising to cure Senet's nightmares. She questioned the boy closely about his dreams, then prepared some kind of sleeping draught. Senet had drifted quickly into a deep slumber, and the cook's husband had carried him up to bed. 

'Of course, I thanked her ever so much,' said the cook. 'I could tell straight away that this was a different type of sleep – deeper, more real somehow. Oh, dear - I'm not telling this very well, but I can't find the words to describe it. The point is, I was sure that when he woke up, he would never suffer another nightmare again.'

If he was facing his nightmares, Senet gave no outward sign of it. He had lain in silent slumber for almost three years, presumably kept alive by the same method as he was kept asleep – by magic. 

This was Senet's history as related by the cook to Edea when the Galbadian army first camped on the Monterosa Plateau. Edea stood beside Senet's narrow bed stroking his still, white face absent-mindedly. His skin was cool, but not clammy, she noted idly, his breathing shallow but regular. She glanced down at him, thinking how small and vulnerable he looked, cocooned in his enchanted sleep.

'What I didn't realise was that he wasn't meant to wake up,' the cook resumed. 'Whatever that woman meant to do, it wasn't anything good for Senet. We tried everything to wake him, but he just lay there, as motionless as if he were dead, but still breathing.' She gave an involuntary shiver. 'It was the strangest thing. We've all sort of got used to it, now.'

The cook fell silent, prevented from speaking by the strength of her emotions. Her face crumpled like a used handkerchief, as she struggled to hold her tears in check. She took a few deep breaths, and then continued.

'I love that boy, almost as much as if he were my own. Of course, he didn't need me to tell him he wasn't one of my own kids – even if he'd never had those nightmares, he would have been different to any other child in the town. He used to come out with the strangest questions – half of them I couldn't answer. 

'But I would never have wished this on him – whatever it is that woman's done. It's his nightmare, you see. He's trapped in the dark, all alone, with no way out. There's no child deserves that.'

Edea smiled reassuringly.

'We've already cured three other boys,' she told the cook. 'From what you've said, it seems that Senet must have been the first Sorcerer Adel found and imprisoned. That may make our job harder, but I promise you, we will release him.'

***************

Releasing Senet proved easier said than done. Edea tried all of the techniques she had used on the other Sorcerers, but to no avail. Not only had Adel been drawing on Senet's powers for longer than she had with the others but also, as he was the only one left, no doubt she was keeping a firmer grip on him.

Edea began the treatment with a series of tonics which she administered to the sleeping boy by spoon. These had been effective for the first Sorcerer, although not with the second and third. Still, Edea felt that this was an essential first step in the process. However, after more than a week, during which the tonics got progressively more invigorating whilst remaining completely ineffective, she decided to abandon them.

The second round of therapy involved sleeping draughts of Edea's own devising. Her reasoning was that she might be able to induce a natural sleep to draw Senet out of the unnatural one brought about by Adel. This approach had proved effective with the second Sorcerer, but as the second week with Senet gave way to the third, Edea was forced to move on to the next level.

It was with great reluctance that Edea turned to magic. Although her power to inflict harmful magic was only provoked when she was actually in danger herself, she could draw on it to cast curative spells at any time. So she began a course that included Cura, Haste and Esuna. She sat at Senet's bedside for days, muttering charms and dredging her memory for ever more arcane enchantments, but nothing worked. She eventually emerged, pale and drawn, ravenous and exhausted.

Cid took one look at her and chased her back to their tent to get some proper rest. As she entered the tent, she found Raine's letter describing the stranger who had suddenly appeared in Winhill. As soon as she had finished reading it, Edea went in search of her husband to see if he could shed any light on the mystery. She never did get her sleep.

Cid asked around amongst his generals about Sergeant Loire. As far as anyone could discover, he had been part of a three-man patrol which had gone missing a week or so before Loire turned up at Winhill. Apparently this wasn't the first time Loire had got lost. The other two members of the team had been found safe and well, although they told a fantastic story to cover up whatever had really happened. Loire had, it seemed, vanished off the face of the planet. No efforts were made to try and recover him from Winhill. With the end of the war in sight, it was safer to leave him where he was.

***************

Several days after the arrival of Raine's letter, Cid and Edea sat by Senet's bed talking quietly. Edea sat by his head, gently stroking one of his hands which lay above the covers and Cid sat at the other end.

Edea had tried everything she could think of to release Senet from his personal prison, but nothing had worked. Now she spent most of her days simply sitting with him, talking to him, or singing lullabies and nursery rhymes until her throat was sore. The only way in which Cid could spend time with his wife was to join her in her vigil.

'We should adopt him, you know,' said Edea suddenly.

'What, now?' asked a rather shocked Cid.

'No, of course not now,' Edea snapped back. 'I mean, when he wakes up.'

Cid drew a deep breath, wondering how best to phrase what he felt he needed to say. He was saved by Edea speaking first.

'I know what you're thinking,' she said. 'And don't give me that innocent look. You're thinking "if he wakes up", but you daren't say it because you're afraid of making me angry. Well, now I've saved you the bother of saying it, but I'm still angry – oh, not with you with me. There must be a way of bringing him out of this!'

'Look,' replied Cid, 'don't be so hard on yourself. You've said it before – Adel doesn't want to let him go. She's bound to keep a firmer hold on him than ever, since he's all she has left to feed her power.'

'Hmmm, I know, it's just………….. Anyway, don't change the subject. I still think we should adopt him. He needs more than this town can give him. I can teach him things, help him to explore his abilities.

'And it isn't just Senet. Lots of children have been orphaned by the war. We could start an orphanage, take them in, even find new families for them. We could………'

'Hey, slow down!' cried Cid. 'Don't get carried away. First of all, where are you going to set up this orphanage? Where are you going to find a building suitable for lots of children? Are you going to do this alone, or hire staff? Who are you going to hire?'

Edea fell silent, mulling over Cid's words. He was right, she knew that, but she had the unshakeable feeling that she was right too. She was certain that starting an orphanage was the right thing to do, that it would be a way of helping children who would otherwise be lost and alone. The Sorceress power had robbed her of the joy of having children of her own, but it had not taken the ability to love and care for children. She took a deep breath to compose herself before speaking again.

'OK, you're right; I do need to give this more thought. But will you agree to think about it as well? This means a lot to me, Cid. I have so much to give, but no one to give it to!'

Cid stood, and quickly covered the few feet that separated them. He knelt on the floor and took Edea's free hand in both of his.

'Edea, I am going to promise you something. _When_ Senet wakes up, I will not only help you to find a suitable building for an orphanage, I will also raise the funds to set it up.'

She looked at him in confusion, tears brimming in her eyes.

'Who's getting carried away, now? A minute ago you were urging caution!'

'No, what I meant was that you should take a step back, think things through. I would never stand in your way over something as important as this.'

'Thank you, Cid,' Edea said with a smile. Then she sighed and shook her head. 'At this rate though it's going to be a long time before we can go house hunting!'

She gazed down at the slim figure on the bed with fond exasperation.

'For the sake of Hyne, Senet, will you please wake up?!' she exclaimed.

To the amazement of both the adults, Senet's eyes fluttered open. He turned their bright gaze onto Edea's astonished face.

'All you had to do was ask,' he said.

A/N: If you review my work, you will earn my undying gratitude, and I promise to read and review your work asap. I welcome all criticism, bad as well as good, but please try to be constructive! Thank-you for reading. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations or creatures from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

****

Aftermath

Chapter 4

'From Raine Leonhart, Winhill Pub

'To Edea Kramer, Galbadian Army Camp, Monterosa Plateau 

'Greetings.'

*****************

Edea had stumbled, exhausted, into her tent, seeking only somewhere quiet and dark to rest. Leading the Galbadian forces against the might of Esthar was taking its toll on both her and Cid. They really needed to get away, pass the reins on to younger minds and bodies, enjoy their married life instead of this constant struggle.

But a small ray of sunshine was awaiting her return. Raine's latest epistle lay on the small collapsing table which Cid & Edea used as a desk as well as a dining table. Tired as she was, Edea eagerly broke the seal and began to read.

*****************

'Edea,' wrote Raine, 'it seems so long since I last wrote, but I know it was only a week ago! As I wrote then, the people here are still giving Laguna a really hard time. He has stayed here out of gratitude to everyone for taking him in, and all he gets is grief. No matter how many monsters he kills, they still look down their noses at him. 

'The other day, I asked him to get some messages for me from the shop at the end of town. Mrs Horran's son and daughter-in-law run it now. When he came back he was really upset. Mrs Horran jnr had told him he ought to leave now he's recovered – even said it would be better for me if he went. Interfering old bat! I don't know why he does stay; if I were him, I'd probably have bailed out by now.'

*****************

Edea smiled over the letter. From what Raine had written over the weeks and months since Loire's arrival, she had a fair idea of why the young man hung around. Of course, Raine had never lacked male attention, but she had tended to distrust it in the past.

'They're only after free beer!' she had exclaimed, with her gentle laugh.

This picture of Raine, laughing and carefree, brought a lump to Edea's throat, and she had to close her eyes and breathe deeply for several seconds before the threat of tears passed. This happy image contrasted so starkly with the last time she had seen the younger woman in the flesh, her face pinched with weariness, anguish and grief. There had been no time for Edea to comfort her friend in the rush and urgency of escape, of course; even Edea acknowledged that. Even so, and despite Raine's assurances, she had spent many hours replaying the events of that night, sure that somehow she could have found five minutes, even five seconds, to mourn old Leonhart's passing with his daughter.

She shook her head to clear the clinging cobwebs of memory. That all lay in the past. What mattered now was the present and the future, both of which looked brighter since Senet's awakening. She turned her attention back to the pages in front of her.

*****************

'One morning, a few days ago, I was clearing out the bar as usual, ready for the lunchtime crowd. It's harvest time again, so they come in thirstier than ever from the dust and heat of the fields! I don't know what the town would do if I decided to leave – there's no one else who could run this place. Perhaps I should get someone in, someone to train up. Even if I don't leave, I won't be here forever, will I? And I can't imagine Ellone wanting to live her life out here.

'Anyway, on with the story. As I say, I was clearing away the glasses from the night before, when a complete stranger walked into the bar. He was the most exotic man I've ever seen. He had dark skin, and hair and eyes, and his hair was all done in thin plaits. He wore the strangest clothes, part jacket and pants, part some sort of mini-armour, and he had these two short swords or daggers in his waistband.

'He said his name was "Kiros Seagul" and that he was looking for Laguna. Well, I might have just sent him away with a flea in his ear, if you hadn't told me what you found out about Laguna's history. I can't believe he never told me about Kiros and Ward – I mean, from what you said, they were inseparable.

'"I'll just go and get him," I said, when Ellone popped up out of nowhere!

'"I'll get Uncle Laguna!" she cried, and before I could stop her, she was out of the door and into the jaws of a monster, as far as I knew.

'Well, I rushed to the door, to fetch her back, but she was just disappearing into Laguna's house when I got outside. She was completely unharmed. Honestly, that child will be the death of me! I worry about her constantly, but she seems to lead a charmed existence.

'So, Kiros and I tried to make small talk, and not to think about what could happen to a little girl in a world infested with monsters, when Ellone suddenly burst back into the bar.

'"Ellone!" I yelled, angry and relieved at the same time. "That was a very naughty, and irresponsible thing to do! Anything could have happened to you! How many times have you promised not to run off like that? I'm very angry with you. Do you understand, Ellone? Now go to your room and play."

'Laguna had arrived meanwhile, and Ellone said to him, in that cutesy baby voice which drives me mental, "I got in twouble."

'"That's 'cause you broke your promise. Too baaaad..." Laguna replied.

'Hyne, he's infuriating! He encourages her slang and baby talk, no matter how many times I tell him not too. I spent months getting her to talk properly, then he comes along and spoils it all! Although, to be fair, she never uses that language or tone when she's speaking directly to me. But the fact that she uses it at all is still annoying.

'So, for the umpteenth time I said, "Laguna! Use proper English when you're speaking to Ellone!"

'And then, stone me, if he doesn't go and do it again!

'"I got'n trouble," he said to Ellone.

'"Toooo baaaddd!" she responded, and then hid behind Laguna before I could explode completely.

'Sometimes its like having two kids in the house with Laguna Loire around. Talking of kids, I think it's a wonderful idea for you and Cid to adopt – or even run an entire orphanage! Hyne knows, there are enough kids without parents, even here in Winhill. Of course, Ellone has people to take care of her, but there are others, like Senet, who have no one.

*****************

The mention of Senet made Edea drop the letter into her lap once more. Despite all she and Cid could say, Senet was determined to stay where he was. All Edea's arguments of exploring his powers and growing up in what she termed a 'more suitable environment' fell on deaf ears.

'Honestly, Edea, I really appreciate everything that you're offering,' he said, in that calm unruffled way of his, 'but how do I know if it's what's right for me? What if I went with you, and it didn't work out? Where would I go, then?'

There was no answer to such a question. Even saying that 'what if?' worked both ways produced nothing but a gentle, infuriating, smile. Yes, it might be proved that he had powers to rival any Sorceress, but what then? If life was difficult for Edea, what would it be for him? Better to live his life honestly as a kitchen boy, than hiding as a freak.

And she told him that she understood, even though she didn't – not really. His arguments made sense, she had to admit that, but she was baffled by his unwillingness even to explore what he had. Nevertheless, he was resolute. He would not leave the Monterosa Plateau in search of ifs and maybes, and there was no chance of seeking to understand his powers where he was.

Edea might not understand his decision, but she had no alternative but to accept it. They had spend a last day together, just Senet and Edea, on the beach near the town, building sandcastles and running barefoot through the waves. For both of them, it was a rare moment to just have fun, and to forget their cares for a little while. It was just one more bittersweet memory for Edea to store up for the future.

With a heavy heart, she returned to Raine's letter.

*****************

'Well, then Kiros and Laguna started chatting, you know, about the things they've been through. Turns out they were chased out of some Estarian base, barely escaped with their lives, on Centra. It was quite exciting really – I saw a side of Laguna I've never seen before. He was so relaxed, talking to his old army buddy, swapping jokes and memories.

'Then he asked how Ward was doing. He's a janitor, apparently, in that prison in the desert. Then I got the shock of my life – Laguna asked about Julia. You know, the singer who wrote that song 'Eyes on Me'? It's supposed to have been written for her long lost love who went off to war and never came back. Anyway, it turns out that Laguna really had a thing for this Julia, even chatted to her, once. Isn't it weird; you just think you're getting to know someone, and then you find out something completely unexpected about them!

'Kiros has been here ever since, helping Laguna with his monster patrols. I think he's trying to persuade Laguna to move on, or at least to seriously consider his future. Funnily enough, Ellone made me consider my future the other day. She asked me straight out if I was going to marry Laguna. I tried to put her off, explaining all the reasons it wouldn't be a good idea, but she just kept telling me why it is a good idea.

'I'm so confused, Edea! I've never felt this way about anyone, before – but he's such a twerp! I know his dream was to be a journalist, yet he ends up here, fighting monsters and risking losing a hand – or worse. And he snores, and talks in his sleep! Yet I can't stop thinking about him, and worrying about him. My day brightens up when he enters a room, and clouds over when he's not there. I just wish I knew how he felt……….

'OK, that's enough rambling for this week. Write to me soon, and let me know your plans, so I have some idea of where to send my next letter!

Bye for now.

*****************

Edea wished there were some way of divining Loire's feelings, so that she could put Raine's mind at rest one way or the other. Unfortunately, that kind of knowledge was not one of her gifts. Raine would just have to work it out for herself.

A/N: If you review my work, you will earn my undying gratitude, and I promise to read and review your work asap. I welcome all criticism, bad as well as good, but please try to be constructive! Thank-you for reading. 

BTW – is anyone irritated by the story being interspersed with the letter? Or does it help, knowing Edea's thoughts whilst she's reading?

Oh, and I know Cid doesn't seem to feature largely in this fic, but that's because the important relationship here is the one between Edea and Raine. There is no feminist anti-male conspiracy going on here, it's just that I wanted to explore the dynamics of a female-female relationship. Just flexing the old writing muscles, you know! 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, creatures or locations from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

****

Aftermath

Chapter 5

A chill wind blew across the Galbadian Plains, biting into exposed flesh without mercy. Stunted trees and scrubby heather hugged the ground as if trying to get out of the way of the wind. The iron-grey sky, heavy with pregnant clouds, hung above a pale road which snaked its way through the moorland. 

In the half-light which oozed its way through the blanket of cloud, two silhouettes formed by two humans mounted on chocobos, slipped out of the main gate of Deling City and headed South. The riders were well shielded from the elements by their thick cloaks, but the sight of the icy sky made them both shiver. By unspoken agreement, they hurried their mounts down the road, as much to generate warmth as to put some distance between themselves and the city.

Cid stole a glance at his wife from under the hood of his cloak. He wondered what thoughts were moving through her mind, and whether they resembled his own. He was forcibly reminded of the previous journey they had undertaken, the one which had forced them into each others' company and had ended with them vowing their eternal love.

The circumstances could not have been more different, he reflected. On their previous journey they had been running for their lives; now they journeyed through choice rather than necessity. And that escape had taken them through the unforgiving desert, although the landscape which surrounded them now was hardly more inviting. His only consolation was that this time they were properly provisioned for a long journey, and had sufficient funds to replenish their stocks when necessary.

Their destination was, as yet, uncertain. They were seeking a suitable building in which to set up an orphanage, but where such a place might be located they had no idea. There were places they wished to avoid at all costs, however. The oasis in the Dingo Desert, the site of their first declarations of love, was now buried beneath the Galbadian prison, rendering a sentimental journey out of the question.

But it felt good to be on the road again. Whilst he was busy thinking, his subconscious was processing the information reaching his brain through his eyes and ears. He was vaguely aware of the movement of small animals in the heather, and absentmindedly guided his chocobo around a pot hole in the road. The shrill, lonely cry of a thrustevis came to him on the wind. There was no life like that of a traveller, he thought, no life which suited him better.

Edea kept her eyes firmly fixed on the distant horizon, seeking only the next crest of a hill, or bend in the road. Little in the way of coherent thought filtered through; she simply let her mind drift, paying scant attention to her surroundings or her companion. After years of having to be constantly alert, her brain was grateful for the chance to be idle. She was happy to let Cid set the pace, and lead the way.

Yet, unbidden, images flickered behind her eyes, the past replaying itself like an old movie. She and Cid had remained in the little town on the Monterosa Plateau until they were sure that Senet had recovered completely. Leaving him behind was the hardest thing she had ever had to do, yet she recognised that taking him along would have been far harder on him. Still, they had promised to write to one another, so now she had two correspondents to keep in touch with.

Thinking of letters brought her thoughts naturally to Raine. The younger woman continued to send letters regularly, writing with her customary cheerfulness of Ellone and Laguna in almost equal measure. She had included a sketch of the two of them with one of her letters. Edea had never met either, but she felt somehow drawn to the picture, as though the people depicted on the page were vitally important to her life. She had had the thin sheet of paper framed to protect it as she handled it so often.

However, Raine's most recent correspondence had been full of wedding plans. Laguna had finally declared his feelings, and Raine had accepted his offer of marriage. Edea had not had time to read Raine's latest letter, as it had arrived just before they departed. It was tucked hastily into the top of her backpack, to be enjoyed at some later point in the day when she had enough time to do it justice. They had spent the last month in Deling City, debriefing the President on the war and handing over the reins of leadership to Galbadia's generals. It had seemed best that they leave Deling for several reasons, not least because the generals did not want them breathing down their necks.

In the last week or so, rumours had begun to filter out of Esthar of a resistance movement which was working against Adel. Then, just the day before, a letter had arrived from Doctor Odine, the creator of so many of Adel's most powerful weapons. It confirmed the existence of the anti-Adel faction, and pledged Odine's support to the plot. It was dated several weeks previously, and had had a difficult journey judging by its dog-eared appearance. Odine was obviously risking his life by sending it.

No longer a central part of Galbadia's war effort, Cid and Edea knew no more of the details. How Odine planned to overthrow Adel remained a mystery to them, but they were happy to have it so; if they were to fall into Adel's hands on their journey, it was safest for them to know as little as possible.

Suddenly, Edea became aware that Cid was calling a halt. The bleak moorland still stretched away in every direction, but they were close to a large sheltering rock which would make a good resting place. Cid had already dismounted and was pegging his chocobo's reins to the ground to stop it running away. Edea silently followed suit, throwing down some greens for the chocobos, and then joining Cid by the rock.

'I'm exhausted!' exclaimed Edea in surprise. 'I'd never have thought riding could wear you out!'

Cid laughed. 'Have you forgotten our last chocobo journey already?'

'No, of course not! But we were riding a bit faster on that occasion – and through the desert. I expected to get tired then.'

'I suppose so. It's nice to be travelling again – and nice to be just the two of us,' said Cid, giving his wife a tender smile.

Edea nodded in agreement. 'Very nice. I can't remember the last time we spent time on our own.'

So saying, she rested her head on her husband's shoulder and closed her eyes.

'Can we just stay here? Please?!'

'I'm afraid not, my dear. We have an orphanage to find, remember?'

'We could build it here…….'

'What with? Heather?'

'Hmmm, I see what you mean. Oh, well, Cid, we'd better make a move soon, then.'

'Hmmm, we'll definitely have to move soon……..,'

Cid leaned his head back against the sheltering rock, then let it roll to the right so that he could look down at his wife. That was the type of banter he remembered his parents engaging in when he was a child. Just gentle teasing, nothing deep and meaningful; a simple way of making a connection with one another. It was something he and Edea had never had enough time for in all the years of their marriage. But that was about to change, now, he thought. This was their chance to make a fresh start, to begin their marriage anew.

Edea broke his train of thought by sitting up straight.

'Come on, lets get something to eat – I'm famished!' she cried. 

'Me too, now you come to mention it!' replied Cid with a wry smile, as his romantic daydreams tattered and blew away on the wind which still howled through the heather.

They continued chatting as they shared a little of their food and water, revisiting the list of essentials for the building which would one day become an orphanage. When they had finished, Edea gathered up the remains of their cold meal and repacked the saddlebag. Within a few minutes they were on the road again.

*********

They travelled on by easy stages stopping briefly in Timber before catching a passenger ship to the Centra continent. Edea felt that the sea voyage was the best part of their journey so far. She stood in the bows for hours at a time, letting the sea breeze blow through her long, dark hair. The sea itself held a fascination for her and she never tired of its ever-changing moods. Cid, on the other hand, remained in their cabin feeling ill.

The chocobos were as pleased as Cid to disembark, warking with pleasure as their large feet finally touched firm ground. Edea shook her head at the three of them in exasperation. As they mounted and rode away from the little harbour town, she regaled Cid once again with the glories of the sea but without gaining a syllable of agreement.

'I might as well talk to the chocobos!' she exclaimed eventually.

'No,' replied Cid, shaking his head, 'they agree with me.'

Edea laughed despite herself and Cid joined in. As her merriment subsided, she looked Cid full in the face, as if seeing him for the first time.

'Let's make a promise,' she said earnestly. 'Let's promise to laugh like that at least once a day from now on. Hyne knows, we've had little enough to laugh at lately.'

'We should renew our vows and add that in,' Cid agreed, and began speaking in a solemn voice. 'I, Cid Kramer, do promise to create at least one hilarious situation every day for the amusement of Edea Kramer. Your turn.'

Laughing, Edea repeated the extra vow. 'Now you have to kiss the bride,' she said, 'if you can catch her!'

With these words, she dug her heels into the sides of her unsuspecting chocobo which suddenly sprang away as if a t-rexaur were after it. With a shout of surprise, Cid urged his own mount into the chase.

A/N – well it took a while, but I hope you thought it was worth the wait. If you liked this chapter, or even if you didn't, please leave a review and let me know what you think of it.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, creatures or locations from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

****

Aftermath

Chapter 6

From: Raine Loire, Winhill Pub

To: Edea Kramer, Centra Ruins Hotel

Greetings!

*********

Edea sat on the balcony of the hotel room she and Cid had rented, ready to enjoy a really _girly_ letter from her young friend. 

As always, Raine had continued to write once a week, sending her letters to the last address she had for Edea and Cid. Whenever they left a place, Edea would make arrangements for the letters to be held until she could send a forwarding address. During their six months of travelling, she and Cid would occasionally find a place where they wanted to stay for more than a few days; then they would rent a comfortable, yet reasonable, room and set up 'home'. Edea always spent the first few days taking long, hot baths and luxuriating in having a real mattress to sleep on. Not long after, a fat bundle of letters would arrive from Raine, and Edea would spend happy hours reading through them.

They had been in their current abode for three weeks, so the latest letter had arrived on it's own – and late. It had been a fortnight since Raine's last missive, but Edea had not worried about her, as Raine had given her a detailed itinerary of the planned honeymoon. But now, Edea wanted to know all the details.

*********

'I know you'll want all the details,' wrote Raine, 'so I'll try to get everything down! But I don't promise I'll remember everything, so you'll have to bear with me.

'The day of the wedding was glorious! It couldn't have been better if we'd booked it. The sun shone out of a perfectly blue sky – there wasn't a cloud in sight. Birds sang; the flowers bloomed just for us. It was perfect!

'I'm kidding – it poured with rain the whole day! Honestly, it didn't let up once. We had to rearrange the reception in Lord Winhill's front hall at the last minute; his housekeeper is still giving me funny looks after some joker put a sausage roll in the hand of the suit of armour. I had to leave the pub with Dad's old overcoat on to cover my dress, and a pair of hobnail boots on my feet! So much for the blushing bride – I was blushing from embarrassment, not maidenly modesty.

'Anyway, I made it to the church – in Jem's cart! It was all decked out for the occasion, but the rain had ruined the flowers, and the ribbons all hung limp and ragged down the sides. When we got to the church, I changed my shoes outside. Then I had to tidy Ellone up all over again. Jem's youngest lad, who drove the cart, had lifted her in and out of it so as not to ruin her shoes because we didn't have any boots for her. She was wearing one of Dad's jackets to protect her dress, and the fabric just got so creased. Oh, and she insisted on wearing her 'birthday scarf'! She said if Uncle Laguna and me getting married wasn't a special occasion she didn't know what was! I swear, that child was born twenty-five.

'So, when the two of us were as presentable as possible, I took Lord Winhill's arm and we set off down the aisle. It was so sweet of him to step into the breach. Kiros would have given me away, but Laguna had already claimed him as best man. Oh, I nearly forgot – the old lady from the flower shop was waiting by the door of the church with my bouquet and Ellone's flower basket. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to keep those flowers perfectly fresh and unbattered by the elements.

'When I entered the church, everyone stood up and turned to look at us – I felt like a queen walking past her subjects. The organ was playing quietly and the whole building was filled with the scent of flowers – and damp people! All in all, I think everyone will remember our wedding for it's unique atmosphere.

'After taking in the first quick impression, I looked down the aisle – and there was Laguna, looking absolutely terrified. Kiros had his hand on Laguna's arm, but whether it was to reassure him, or to stop him running away, I'm not sure! Then, our eyes met, and everything else just melted away. There was just me and him, and this perfect promise we were going to make to each other.

'Oh, no, I've blotted the page. I'm sorry, but the tears just well up every time I remember that moment. I'm just so happy I can't contain it!

'I honestly can't remember walking down the aisle – I just remember Laguna's eyes drawing me towards him. I'm afraid I hardly listened to the priest until the moment came for us to say our vows. My head was just full of the man standing next to me, close enough for me to feel the heat of his body, but not touching.

'Then we faced each other and made our promises – our eternal promises. I did vaguely hear the heavy shower outside turn into a violent storm with thunder crashing all around the building, but I was only really aware of the priest's voice and mine - and Laguna's. People told me afterwards that they hadn't heard our vows due to the thunder, but we heard each other and that's all that matters to us.

'Then the priest shouted, "You may kiss the bride!" and everyone clapped and cheered.

'While we signed the register, a member of the choir stood at the back of the church and sang an acapello version of "Eyes on Me". It was a surprise I had arranged for Laguna. When the song started, he turned to me with tears in his eyes and whispered, "Thank-you".

'After the service, it was a case of bundling Ellone and me up in our overcoats again, and sitting in the damp cart with Laguna and Kiros as we drove back to Winhill Hall. The thunder and lightning had stopped by then, and the rain had eased off, but people still dripped all over the tiled floor in the entrance hall!

'The ladies of Winhill had done us proud. There was a huge buffet, and I had managed to get some pretty decent wine at wholesale prices, so there was plenty to drink as well. And Lady Winhill's own pastry chef had made the cake – although Ellone wanted to know why she and Kiros weren't on the top as well as Laguna and me.

'I've included a swatch of the fabric from my dress and a pressed flower from my bouquet, as you requested. I know it isn't the same as being here, but I could feel you with us in spirit. As soon as you are settled, we'll all come down to see you. I can't wait for you to meet Laguna.'

********

Edea gently fingered the delicate scrap of cream silk which Raine had sent her. In one of Raine's recent letters was a sketch of the full dress which had a tight bodice with a sweetheart neckline, and a full skirt reaching down to mid-calf. Over the strapless dress, Raine had worn a lacy jacket. Ellone had worn a smaller version, with capped sleeves rather than it being strapless, made of sky-blue silk, which perfectly complimented her green 'birthday' scarf.

Raine's description of her happy day took Edea back to her own wedding, a much simpler affair by far. She had bought the first decent looking dress she had found in Deling City while Cid went to sort out the registry office. They asked the owner of the hotel where they were staying and his wife to be witnesses. Looking back, she was no longer sure what the urgency was, but less than a month had passed between them declaring their love for each other and their marriage.

Of course, it was just as well that they had got married when they did, as the Sorceress War had taken up every moment of their time since then. She wondered idly how things were going in Galbadia and Esthar. It all seemed so remote. With a heavy sigh she returned to the letter.

********

'So, then we went off on our honeymoon,' Edea read. 'I won't bore you with the details again, as we followed the itinerary I sent you almost to the letter. I think it's the soldier in Laguna – has to carry out the mission according to orders; though from what Kiros told me, orders aren't my other half's strongest point. Oh, well, suffice it to say that we arrived in the seaside resort to the East of Winhill after a couple of days bumping along country roads in Jem's cart.

'And now the sun did come out for us. We spent nearly every day on the beach splashing through the waves and making sandcastles. I felt like a child again – especially as we stayed at the same guesthouse my parents always used to take me to. We ate huge meals and slept like logs thanks to the sea air. I think Heaven must be a sleepy little seaside town.

'We took the boat-trip around the bay, too. Well, it was on our itinerary! Actually, it was a wonderful experience. The sea was a bit choppy, but that only added to the excitement, because you never knew when a wave was going to sneak over the side of the boat. They took us right out to the deep water; it was as clear as crystal. We could see the fish swimming around, and all the stones on the bottom.

'I managed not to miss Ellone too much, but I was very glad to see her when we got home. She ran into my arms and hugged me as if she hadn't seen me in months instead of days. Then she and Laguna chattered away about the things we had done; he's promised her a trip on the boat.

'Well, I know I'm really home now that I've written all my letters! It's nice to get away for a while, but it's even nicer to arrive home. You'll know when you've found your orphanage, because that's how it will make you feel – that you've arrived home.

'OK, that's all for now. The baby has been kicking like blazes since I started writing to you. You'd think it knew you and wanted to say, "Hello"!

'But now it's time to say, "Goodbye" – from me, Laguna, Ellone and Bump!' 

*********

At the mention of Raine's unborn child, Edea felt an icy shiver travel down her spine. She retrieved the sketch of Ellone and Laguna, removing it carefully from its frame so that she could study it more closely. What was it about these two, whose faces were those of strangers, yet seemed so eerily familiar? And the baby – a boy, somehow she _knew_ it was a boy – unseen even by its mother; how could it affect her so much?

She had no hope of answering these questions, but still they circled her thoughts more often than she would have liked to admit.

A/N – I hope you enjoyed Raine and Laguna's wedding. It reminds me very much of my own, which was also rained out, despite taking place in August. Our vows also had competition, although in our case it was the local Carnival (which stopped outside the church) not thunder. Still, it gives us something to talk about!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, creatures or locations from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

****

Aftermath

Chapter 7

Sunlight sparkled on the ever-moving surface of the ocean, causing the water to turn from green to gold and back again. A soft breeze favoured the shore with its lightest touch, bringing with it the tang of brine and the lonely, mewing cry of gulls. The tide was ebbing, leaving behind its gifts of driftwood and seaweed, but, like a reluctantly departing lover, it returned to caress the beach once more.

The sun was barely risen, but the haze which hung over the beach promised a warm day ahead. Behind the beach, a cliff arose, topped with bright green grass which was nibbled short by rabbits. Edea stretched her bare feet, wriggling her toes into the turf.

'Oooh!' she giggled, 'it's just like velvet, only spikier.'

'Velvet isn't spiky,' Cid pointed out, patiently.

Edea stuck her tongue out at him. 'I was speaking metaphorically,' she stated.

'Easy for you to say,' replied her husband. 'It's far too early in the morning for long words.'

With a laugh, Edea walked back to the little campsite on the cliff top, and sat down next to Cid, leaning her head on his shoulder. 

'It's another beautiful day,' she said softly. 'Do you think it could be _the_ day?'

Cid shrugged. 'Who knows? Any day could be _the_ day. We just have to keep searching. One thing's for certain – we won't find anything sitting around here all day!'

Nodding regretfully, Edea stood and began packing away their few possessions. They had slept under canvas the night before, as the Spring nights were still chilly, even on the Centra continent. She was looking forward to the warmer weather, when they could sleep with nothing between them and the stars. Without thinking, she and Cid fell into a kind of ballet, each moving around the other, working together where they needed to, and separately where they didn't, never once falling out of step, until the campsite was cleared.

The familiarity which Cid so vividly remembered existing between his parents had crept up on him and Edea almost without them fully realising it. Performing the same actions almost every morning for months had left an indelible pattern on their brains. The intimacy which travelling together had created was endangered by the future they had planned. Living in a house would produce very different patterns of behaviour from living rough, whilst living with other people in the form of the orphans they hoped to help, threatened to prevent them from finding time for each other. There was a part of each of them that hoped that _the_ day, in other words, the day on which they found the orphanage, never came.

And yet it was the goal which spurred them on each morning, the motivation they needed to break camp and travel onwards for another day, always searching, never ceasing. They had visited many possible buildings, some derelict and abandoned as a result of the War, others still occupied and homely. Yet none had satisfied them, none had fulfilled their unspoken criteria. What their perfect orphanage would look like, neither of them had any clear idea. All they could say for certain was that they would know it when they found it.

Mounting with the familiarity born of repetition, Cid and Edea prepared themselves for another day of questing. The sun, still only just risen behind them, cast long, spindly shadows, black against the green grass. The chocobos set off, their jerky stride covering the ground easily, yet they were never able to catch their shadows. Sometimes it felt to Cid that this whole expedition was an exercise in chasing after shadows, yet he said nothing to Edea. This was her dream, and even if it never became reality, he would gladly spend the rest of his life trying to make it so.

*********

Mid-day found them all sitting in the shade of a small copse, sharing a light lunch. The chocobos pecked delicately at their greens, warking gently to each other, and occasionally reaching over to preen one another's feathers. Edea nudged Cid with her elbow, and nodded towards the birds.

'They're nearly as bad as us!' she exclaimed. 'It looks as if we might be starting a chocobo farm in the near future, no matter what else happens.'

Cid returned her smile, running his hand through her long, silky hair. 'That might not be so bad, you know. Selling the birds would generate some additional income.'

'Hmmm – that's worth a thought. So, in addition to everything else, we now need some stables – or at least enough space to build them!'

'I don't think there is a place in the world that could match our wishlist,' laughed Cid.

'You're probably right about that, too!' replied Edea, also laughing. She stared out to sea for a few moments lost in thought. 'I know, let's go down on the beach this afternoon, and ride through the surf.'

Cid agreed to this plan, and a few minutes later they were hunting along the cliff top for a way down. The trail they eventually found was so narrow that getting to the beach was more of a scramble than a walk. They had to dismount and lead their chocobos down in single file. The birds warked nervously showing their alarm, but they trusted their riders, and the party made it to the sand without incident.

The tide was at its lowest point, and they had to ride quite a way out in order to follow Edea's suggestion. It was peaceful out there, with only the wind and the waves and each other for company. They rode for a while without speaking, simply enjoying the splash of the chocobos' feet, and the swish and swirl of the wavelets that ran up the beach. The sun was high overhead, shrinking their shadows so that they now travelled below them rather than ahead. The briny scent of the sea was all around them, and they knew that nothing could possibly burst this perfect bubble of happiness.

As they were some way from the cliff, they could see every bump and curve of the coast before them. The land swung round to the North West, so that, in following it, they were baring right. The sun, which had begun to get ahead of them, now fell across their left shoulders as it had earlier in the day. As the day wore on, and the tide turned, they were forced further and further inland.

An hour before sunset, they began to look for another path which would lead them back to the cliff top so that they could make camp for the night. Directly in front of them a low headland jutted out into the sea. At exactly the same moment they both spotted something which drew their whole attention.

'A path!' cried Cid.

'The orphanage…….' breathed Edea.

'What?' they asked together, turning to face each other.

'THAT!' they replied, also at the same time, and pointing ahead to indicate what they had seen.

Both turned slowly to reappraise the view in front of them. This time, Edea's eyes rested on the foot of the path which her husband had seen, and her gaze travelled slowly up it, to the building _she_ had spotted. Cid's eyes travelled immediately to the cliff top. What he saw there made him catch his breath.

The sinking sun bathed the old, stone building in golden light. Elegant Grecian pillars stood at various points around it, some still standing straight and true, others leaning drunkenly. Still others lay on the ground, almost hidden by the tall grass and wildflowers of a meadow which surrounded the building. The stone walls were grey and weathered, showing on their scarred surfaces their endurance and their pain. A tower rose from the opposite side of the building, the shattered glass windows around its tip revealing the original purpose of the building.

'It's an old lighthouse,' commented Cid.

'It's our orphanage,' corrected Edea.

They gazed up at the building for a few seconds more, then suddenly each turned to face the other at the same moment, both of them grinning crazily.

'I knew today would be special!' exclaimed Edea.

'And I knew that the orphanage would appear when we least expected it,' replied Cid. 

'So who do we talk to about buying it?' Edea enquired.

'Let's try him,' Cid responded, pointing to a tiny figure which appeared at that moment at the top of the cliff-path.

Edea laughed. 'Now I _know_ it's our lucky day!' she cried, geeing up her chocobo and heading for the cliff.

*********

The negotiations took almost no time at all, and in less than a week Cid and Edea were the official owners of the old lighthouse. As Edea's magic was only effective when she was under attack, they had to use old-fashioned sweat and muscle to get the orphanage into a habitable condition – and also contractors for intricate jobs like the plumbing and electrics.

Edea kept Raine fully informed of progress, and Raine replied with equal joy at having a permanent address for her old friend at last. She was in raptures at the idea of the orphanage, and only the immanence of her confinement kept her from setting out straightaway. However, this did not prevent her from making detailed plans for the journey the Loire family would make once the baby was born.

'_We are all just so excited!_' she wrote. '_I'm praying that the baby will arrive early so that we can visit you all the sooner.'_

Reading Raine's letters was still the best cure Edea knew for the moments when the dust and the paint fumes and the amount of work still to be done got too much for her.

'_I just pray that your baby is born safely_,' she replied. '_I want to see all of you, too – all of you, safe and sound_.'

Why it was necessary to pray for this mother and child more than any other, Edea did not know. But pray she did, at every opportunity. 

A/N – If you liked this chapter, or even if you didn't, please leave a review and let me know what you think of it.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, creatures or locations from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

****

Aftermath

Chapter 8

From: Raine Loire, Winhill Pub

To: Edea Kramer, Centra Lighthouse

Greetings………

*********

A gentle Spring breeze blew in through the open window of the room Cid and Edea were already calling their sitting room. Even before a child had entered the orphanage, it had become their private sanctuary, away from the noise and mess in other parts of the lighthouse. Edea was taking a welcome break from choosing gender-neutral bedlinen which would both wear well and not show the dirt too much. She sat curled up on an ancient armchair, a legacy from the previous owner of the old stone building; in her hand she held Raine's latest letter.

Turning away from the myriad colours of the wildflowers in the meadow outside her window, she looked down at the folded paper and frowned. The address on the front had obviously been written in haste, but also the writing was scratchy and badly formed, as if the writer was in some distress. Hoping to find explanations within, she hurriedly broke the seal and began to read.

*********

'Oh, Edea, I'm in such a mess!' wrote Raine. 'Laguna has – gone! Left me and our baby! I'm at my wit's end. And my contractions have started – it must be the stress – and he's going to miss the birth.

'I'm trying to stay calm, truly I am. I can almost hear you telling me to take deep breaths! No, no jokes – if I start laughing now I'll be having full blown hysterics in half a minute, and then I'll never get this letter written. This is the only one I'm going to write today – everyone else will have to wait until after the baby is born. But I have to tell someone what happened with Laguna today while it's all fresh in my mind.'

*********

Edea sat stunned by what she had read. What could possibly have been so important that Laguna would abandon his wife and unborn child? She had always been uneasy about him, but had been prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt in light of Raine's obvious devotion. Still, she would never have suspected him of this. Surely, if he was going to give up on his family he would have done so months ago?

From Raine's opening words, Edea believed that the answers lay within the sheets of paper before her. But it was also obvious that Raine had been crying whilst she was writing (the ink was smudged and blotched in several places) and Raine's tears provided answers of their own.

Vowing that she would make Laguna Loire pay for whatever pain he caused her young friend, Edea returned to her letter.

*********

'It's amazing how just writing to you makes me feel calmer,' she read. 'Edea, I miss you so much, even after all these years. But, what must be going through your mind? I've just re-read my opening lines – they paint a black picture, don't they? But I'm in a black state of mind, as you will well understand.

'Let me put your mind at rest on one thing. Laguna has not abandoned us entirely – he has gone in search of Ellone, who is as dear to us both as our own child could ever be. 

'As usual, I'm starting my tale in the middle, and expecting you to make sense of it. Well, if all the tales I've heard of first births are true, I have enough time to tell this properly, so I'd better begin at the beginning.

'Yesterday, Ellone went with Laguna to Jem's farm to visit our friends, and to give me a chance to get my feet up for an hour or two. She went outside with Jem's youngest children while Laguna sat chatting to the older lads in the farm kitchen. Suddenly, the farm children all came running into the house, crying and shouting – but without Ellone. 

'When they had calmed down a little, they said that Estharian soldiers had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The children couldn't understand what they were saying, but they recognised the words 'Odine' and 'Ellone'. Well, Ellone's such a friendly little thing, so of course, she steps forward, bold as brass and says, "I'm Ellone – I'm the one you're looking for"! The silly girl! One of the soldiers grabbed hold of her and they must have activated some sort of device because they disappeared as suddenly as they arrived. Oh, yes, before they vanished, Ellone had time to tell the other children not to worry about her, because Uncle Laguna would rescue her.

'Well, you can imagine the state Laguna was in when he got back home. He was all for rushing off there and then! If Jem's lad hadn't driven him home, I don't think he would even have stopped by the pub to tell me about it. 

'I couldn't believe he would even suggest leaving me at a time like this. The baby is due any day now – I need Laguna here! What is so hard to understand about that? Edea, tell me, am I being selfish – unfeeling? I can't bear the thought of her being the subject of some experiment – but our baby is important, too.'

*********

At this point, the words were almost totally obliterated by Raine's tears, and Edea had to turn her face away before her own added to the damage. Now she saw the terrible choice which Laguna had had to make, and began to understand the arguments Raine had used to persuade him to stay – the arguments which had ultimately failed.

She wondered what choice she would make in similar circumstances. Was it possible to choose one child over another? What sacrifice would a parent _not_ make for a child? She had no children in her care, yet; but she prayed that she would never face such a choice when she did.

*********

'I've taken your advice,' Raine resumed, 'at least what I think your advice would have been. I took a break for a few minutes to make a cup of tea. I am going to try and finish this in one go, now, as the midwife will be here soon. So, I'll be strong, no more tears – at least not too many.

'I managed to get Laguna to come to bed. He was exhausted by the strain and worry, and I didn't want him to make himself ill on top of everything else. I collapsed beside him a few minutes later, and fell into the deepest sleep of my life. I know I dreamed – frightening dreams that I can't really remember now. Suddenly I awoke, desperately thirsty. So, I started to slide out of bed as slowly as I could so as not to wake Laguna. When I finally stood on the floor, I turned to check on him – but he wasn't there!

'Well, I became frantic, thinking some strange being had whisked him away as well. But then I heard him moving about downstairs. I shouted his name, as loudly as I could, and the noises stopped. I lit a lamp, and held it above my head so I could see where I was going, then headed for the stairs.

'"Laguna! What are you doing down there?" I shouted, and started waddling down after him, as fast as I could.

'When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I could see him standing in the middle of the pub as if my voice had cast a Stop spell on him. We just stared at each other for about a minute; then finally I found my voice again.

'"So, this is how it is, is it?" I demanded. "You just sneak off into the night like a thief, or something? Without a word? Without even a goodbye? Without waiting for our child to be born?"

'"I have to find Ellone," he said, in this strange, calm voice, as if nothing were wrong.

'"And Ellone is more important than me and our baby?" I screamed. I regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth, but I couldn't take them back. His face fell as if I had just slapped him, then it twisted up into a mask of horror and anger. Suddenly, I didn't know the man in front of me.

'"Of course she isn't!" he shouted. "But you and the baby will still be here when we come home. Hyne alone knows what's happening to Ellone right at this moment! How can you even think of leaving her there?"

'"Because," I said, as patiently as I could, "Ellone will be well cared for, wherever she is. This Dr Odine, or whatever his name is, wants to use her abilities. He'll make sure she doesn't come to any harm."

'"How do you know?" he demanded. "How can you be so sure that he needs her in one piece for his experiments?"

'Of course I had no answer to that question, and he took my silence as answer enough. He tried to smile and said, "Don't worry, Love. We'll be back before you know it." Then he turned back towards the door.

'I started crying, begging him not to leave. I can't remember half of what I said. I tried to get across the pub towards him but suddenly all the chairs and tables seemed to be doing everything they could to get in my way. Before I was half-way, he had already reached the door. As he raised his hand to open it, I tried one last time to persuade him to stay.

'"Please, Laguna, stay! Just until the baby is born!"

'"I'm sorry, Raine,' he replied. "I have to go and look for her."

'That was it – something snapped inside me. "Sorry!" I screamed at him. "Sorry! Don't you dare use that word. Don't you dare walk out of here, and tell me you're SORRY!"

'There were tears in his eyes – they glittered in the light from my lamp, forcing me to see them even through my own. There was nothing else for either of us to say. He whispered, "Goodbye" and left.

'I just sank down onto the floor of the pub and sobbed for hours. I don't know when the contractions started – sometime before dawn, I think. They've been getting stronger and more regular all day. I sent for the midwife over an hour ago, so she should be back soon. I am just so tired, Edea. I wish I could just go to sleep, and this whole nightmare would vanish when I woke up.

'I'm going to sign off, now. I have to concentrate on getting this baby born! I'll write soon, with whatever news I have.'

********

Once more, Edea fought back tears. The letter was dated over a week ago; Raine must have forgotten to send it. But of course, she had so many other things on her mind - it was a wonder she had remembered to post it at all. But it was strange that she had not written again with further news as she had promised. If she had remembered to post one letter, why not scribble a quick note containing a brief update and send both?

Giving up on that puzzle, she instead tried to make sense of what Raine had written. Ellone had been kidnapped by Estharian soldiers, presumably working for Odine. Edea remembered that Raine had originally taken the little girl in when her parents were killed during a search for the next Sorceress. So Ellone must posses at least some magical ability.

Edea thought that Raine was probably right in her assumption that Ellone would be well cared for by the scientists. It would be against their own interests to harm her. And yet, she could not condemn Laguna's actions, either. Raine and the baby would be safe in Winhill, whilst Hyne alone knew what horrors Ellone was being subjected to. 

In the end, Edea found that she could not choose between the two sides. All she could do, especially at this distance, was to pray that all the members of the Loire family were safe and well.

A/N – I have been dreading and looking forward to writing this chapter in just about equal measure. I have wanted to write the scene where Laguna leaves to search for Ellone for a long time. But I knew it could never be a happy one, especially with the tragedy which later unfolds. I have tried to make it as heart-rending as I could. Only you, gentle reader, can judge on the result. And I didn't want to judge Laguna harshly – the choice he had to make was an impossible one.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations or creatures from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

****

Aftermath

Chapter 9

Waves pounded against the rocks, their impact felt throughout the orphanage. An icy wind whistled around the ancient stones of the building seeking an entrance, but the lighthouse had withstood many such attacks over the years, and was not about to be beaten this time. Raindrops as sharp as knives joined in the assault, shattering against wood and stone, but the sturdy walls shrugged them off with ease.

Within, Edea and Cid sat on their new, matching armchairs close to the fire in their sitting room. Occasionally, a raindrop would find its way down the chimney and evaporate on the fire, hissing like an angry cat. The raging storm outside made its presence heard, but could not be felt. The howling of the wind had left them both feeling chilled, and Edea had made some hot chocolate to warm them before they went to bed.

Suddenly, above the noise of the storm outside, there came a pounding at the front door. Cid and Edea looked at each other in alarm. The orphanage was in such an out of the way place – no one would visit it unless they had business there. But what business would bring someone out on a night like this?

'Perhaps it's someone with a child?' suggested Edea.

'Our first "customer"?' Cid replied with a wry smile.

'Well, we're almost ready – we could put them up in our room for the time being.'

'We don't even know if it is a child,' Cid pointed out, as the pounding on the door was resumed. 'And there's only one way to find out if it _is_,' he said, standing and heading for the door of the sitting room.

Edea quickly picked up a lamp, and followed him. Until they knew who was at the door, she wanted to stay close to her husband.

Cautiously, the two made their way through the echoing corridors of their home. The lamp cast flickering shadows over the bare walls, making the familiar seem suddenly strange. Edea was surprised, and a little embarrassed, to realise how hard her heart was beating.

The front door stood before them, rigid and unyielding. Whoever was outside was certainly determined; the entrance hall echoed with the blows falling on the solid wood. Cid and Edea glanced at each other once more, and then Cid stepped forward.

'There's no need to knock the door down!' he shouted. 'Who is it, and what do you want at this time of night?'

There was silence on the other side of the door for a few moments, as if whoever was standing outside was surprised to have got a response. Then a man's voice reached them, faint and muffled, through the door.

'I've come to see Edea!' he called. 'I must speak to her! It's about Ellone!'

Edea frowned as she replied, 'I am Edea! What do you think I have to say about anyone called Ellone?'

'For the love of Hyne, will you let me it?! I'm going to die out here!'

The desperation in the man's voice was so evident that Cid held back no longer. He hurried over to the front door and pulled back the heavy bolts which held it fast. Finally, he turned the great iron key in the lock, and eased the door back. As soon as there was enough space between door and frame, a bedraggled figure darted through to stand dripping on the stone flags of the entrance hall.

*********

After supplying their unexpected visitor with some dry clothes, Cid withdrew to the bedroom, leaving Edea to interview the stranger alone.

Edea regarded the man before her as he sipped at the hot chocolate she had made. Of course, she had recognised him almost at once from the portrait Raine had sent, but she feigned ignorance of him and his mission. This appeared to have confused him, as she had intended. He had related his story clearly, in the manner of a soldier making a report, and all of the details tied in with the account she had received from Raine. Now, she was playing for time, trying to decide what to do.

'I've looked everywhere, but I just can't find her!' Laguna exclaimed. 'And now you're telling me she ain't here, either...'

'If I may ask, what happened to this Ellone?' Edea replied.

'She was kidnapped by Esthar soldiers,' he said, then correctly reading the question in her eyes, 'I've been travelling, tryin' all I can to get inside Esthar but...'

'They were looking for a successor to the Esthar sorceress, Adel?' she suggested.

'Yeah, yeah! Exactly it!'

'Is she your daughter?'

'No...but she's just so cute! Oh, I wish I could hear her voice!' 

It was the note of desperation in his voice which, more than anything he had said, softened Edea's heart towards him. She could not completely forgive him for leaving Raine when she most needed him, but she could not blame him for seeking out Ellone, who was, after all, only a child. The little girl's plight, seized by a power she could barely comprehend let alone control, reminded Edea too forcefully of her own stolen childhood.

She turned to Laguna, opening her mouth to speak, but hesitated when she saw a dazed look cross his features.

'Is something the matter?' she asked.

'No...just the faeries...' he replied.

This answer did not really make anything clearer to her, but she let it go. She reassured him that she was the Edea he had been searching for and that she had known of his search for Ellone through Raine's letter.

'Raine wrote to you? When?' he demanded.

'She wrote on the night you left,' Edea replied. 'She was in labour, probably brought on by the stress of arguing with you……'

Her voice trailed off as she saw a new spasm of pain cross Laguna's face.

'I know I should have been with her, but how could I leave Ellone to the mercy of…… of Hyne knows what?'

He looked up into her face, his eyes silently begging for her understanding. Edea smiled to reassure him.

'Raine knew why you left. Please, don't tear yourself up over this any more.'

Laguna took a deep breath and nodded. 'I just wish I knew how to get into Esthar………' he said softly. Then he shook himself. 'So, if Raine wrote the night I left and she was in labour – she must have had the baby! Was it a boy or a girl? Did she say whether it looks like me?'

This was the moment Edea had been dreading. There was no way to break the news to him gently.

'I haven't heard from her since the night you left – and even that letter arrived late. She must be really busy with the baby.'

Laguna nodded, a little crestfallen. 'Yeah, that must be it! Well, thanks for the hot chocolate. Could I beg a bed from you, just for tonight?'

Edea smiled, and said, 'Yes, of course! We would be honoured to have you stay here.'

She was relieved that Laguna had taken Raine's silence to indicate that all her time was taken up with the baby. In contrast, Edea had begun to suspect something far worse, but it would be no good worrying Laguna about it now. He needed to be able to focus on rescuing Ellone.

*********

Laguna left early the next morning. Cid and Edea waved him off and then returned to completing the final preparations for the orphanage.

One of their major purchases was a television set which was set up in what would be a communal living area for the children. They kept up with the progress of the war by watching the nightly news bulletins, and that was how they learned both of Laguna's success in recovering Ellone, and also of the end of Adel.

The item was the top story of the day, and was introduced by a beaming presenter.

'Today's main story! The Sorceress War is over, as Sorceress Adel is finally sealed and transported to space for eternity………' The presenter's face disappeared to be replaced by a shot of three huge space ships resembling dragons, gripping something round and shining in their claws.

The presenter reappeared and said, 'And now we can go live to Esthar, where our reporter is talking to Sergeant Laguna Loire, the hero of the hour!'

'So, Sergeant Loire, you came to Esthar to find your missing daughter?' asked the reporter.

'Yeah, that's right!' replied Laguna, Ellone held tightly in his grasp.

'And how exactly did the capture take place?'

'Perhapz I can be ov assistanze in anzering zat qvestion,' came a voice, and the camera zoomed out to reveal a small, round man in black robes with a huge ruff around his neck.

The sight of him made Edea's flesh crawl and her smiling face transformed into a snarl.

'Odine!' she breathed at the same time as the reporter said, 'Ah, er, yes, er, Doctor Odine, thank you for joining us!'

Striding across the room, Edea jabbed at the on/off button of the television set. 

'I don't want to hear anything that odious man has to say!' she snapped.

'Yes, dear, anything you say,' said Cid mildly.

Edea laughed at herself.

'Thank you, my loyal Knight, for putting up with me for all these years!'

'It has been my pleasure,' Cid replied.

A/N: well we're nearly there! Only one chapter left. Thank you once again for taking the time to read this, and please leave a review so that I know what you thought of it.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations or creatures from Final Fantasy 8 – they all belong to Squaresoft.

A/N: this chapter owes some of its inspiration to Raine Ishida's 'Little Zell' stories, and Lady Aliena's 'Days of the Week' series.

****

Aftermath

Chapter 10

Waves lapped against the little beach which lay below the old lighthouse, their soft sighing almost drowned by the excited squeals of three small children splashing in the shallows. Two adults laughed and played with them, encouraging their charges to jump the wavelets which hurried towards the shore. Above their heads, gulls squabbled and screamed in a cloudless sky.

Adults and children alike wore wide-brimmed hats, although the late afternoon sun had lost its glare. A golden path was reflected in the endlessly deep ocean, whose surface was a constantly changing tapestry of blues and greens. A gentle breeze ruffled the water's surface like a parent caressing a child.

Beneath her improvised sun-shelter, Edea held court with four babies and the third of her carers. She had stretched a sheet between two tall rocks, weighting it down with smaller stones. Two more sheets were laid out on the sand, and the babies, two girls and two boys were enjoying the chance to kick and crawl without their nappies. One of the girls, somewhat older than the other three, had been using Edea as a climbing post for the entire afternoon, her tiny face creased with concentration, then blossoming into a triumphant smile as she stood upright on uncertain legs. Her triumph was short lived, however, as any attempt to alter her stance always resulted in her collapsing in a bemused heap. 

Edea was beginning to turn her thoughts towards the children's evening meal, and was wondering aloud whether or not it was time to begin getting the children ready to return to the house. She scanned her little kingdom with renewed wonder at how quickly everything had taken off. One day the orphanage contained just herself and Cid – the next they had seven children, all under five years of age, and three carers. The speed at which this had happened still made her head spin. 

Feeling the familiar grip of a chubby fist on her sleeve she turned her head to watch the progress of the most determined baby she had ever met.

'All right, Quistis – just one more climb. Then we'll have to go in, OK?'

The little girl ignored Edea's words, all her concentration given over to the task of standing upright.

*********

Cid's study was positioned to one side of the front door. This meant that there was always someone at hand to answer the door to visitors, without them having to employ someone else, and left Edea free to manage the children. He was deeply immersed in the orphanage's accounts when someone began pounding on the door. He was so surprised he choked on the mouthful of coffee he had just drunk, spraying brown liquid in all directions. 

Frowning, he reached for the box of tissues on his desk in order to mop up the worst of the mess. Thump! thump! thump! The knocking began again.

'All right! All right!' he called, sticking his head out of the study window. 'No need to break the door down!'

Three faces peered round the opening of the porch, trying to discover where the voice was coming from. Cid waved away their questions with a sweeping motion of his hand.

'Just hold on a moment, and I'll come and open the door,' he said.

Once the visitors were all in his study, and everyone had introduced themselves, Cid offered them refreshments which were gratefully accepted.

'Well, if you'll all just find yourselves somewhere to sit,' said Cid, gesturing vaguely around the room, 'I'll go and find Edea and a nice pot of tea!' So saying, he was gone.

*********

Edea was just putting the finishing touches to baby Zell's outfit, whilst one of the carers was dressing Seifer. The usual gymnastics involved in dressing a baby were added to by the fact that Seifer seemed unable to resist grabbing hold of some part of Zell at any given opportunity – and several that were not. Zell usually came off worst in these encounters and was covered in tiny bites and scratches from his erstwhile enemy. No matter how carefully the adults watched Seifer, nor how severely they spoke to him afterward, the attacks continued.

The appearance of Cid on the beach was both unexpected and a welcome diversion. Seifer responded to Cid in a way none of the other children did; Edea often said, smilingly, that perhaps it was Cid's aura of authority.

'What brings you down to the beach, my dear?' asked Edea. 'If you wanted to make sandcastles, I'm afraid you'll have to do it on your own – we're just going in for tea.'

'Er, no, Edea, no – not sandcastles,' Cid replied, panting a little after hurrying through the orphanage and across the beach. 'We have some visitors that I think you should speak to – that I'm sure you'll _want_ to speak to – straight away.'

'I'm intrigued, Cid! Visitors at this time of day? Lead on, lead on!'

She handed Zell to one of the carers and gave some brief instructions about what the children should have for tea. Finally, she followed Cid back through the old, stone building to meet her mysterious visitors.

'Did you offer them any refreshments?' she asked, as they passed the kitchen.

'Of course I did!' Cid replied indignantly.

'And did you take them in?' 

'Oh, well, erm…….. I put the kettle on………'

Edea sighed and shook her head. 'You go on and tell them I'll be in soon – with tea and biscuits!'

*********

In a very few minutes, Edea was backing in through the door of Cid's study. She turned with the tray in her hands, but she was so shocked by the sight of the people before her that she almost dropped it. Her already pale face was drained of the last of its colour, and she appeared to be fighting back tears. 

A man with dark skin and braids in his hair stood before her; in his arms he held a bundle wrapped in a white blanket. Next to him was a broad man with a kindly face, clutching the hand of a small girl. Around her shoulders, the little girl was wearing a pale green scarf, and that, more than anything, revealed the identity of the party, and gave a hint as to the purpose of their visit. The man with the braided hair was the first to speak.

'Erm, Edea?' he asked. When she gave a brief nod he continued. 'My name is Kiros and this is Ward,' he said, indicating the other man. 'This is……'

'You must be Ellone!' Edea interrupted, thrusting the tray at Cid, and falling to her knees in front of the little girl.

The child regarded her solemnly for a moment before nodding.

'And that must be your little brother,' Edea continued, pointing at the baby held snugly in the crook of Kiros' arm.

'Yes, that's Squall – but he isn't my real brother,' Ellone declared.

'Oh, yes I know that!' replied Edea. 'But I'm sure you love him as if he were?'

Ellone pondered this for a moment then said, 'He smells!'

'Well, all babies smell. But he'll grow bigger soon – one day he might even be bigger than you!'

Shocked by this idea, Ellone shook her head vigorously. 'Oh, he'll never be bigger than me!' she said. 'I'm the _big_ sister – I'll always be the biggerest!'

Edea smiled. 'Well, I suppose that's true.'

'We have different last names,' stated Ellone suddenly. 'I'm Ellone Loire; Auntie Raine and Uncle Laguna ad-opt-ed me after they got married. But Uncle Laguna said that Squall should have Auntie Raine's _old_ last name.' Her small face puckered into a frown. 'Why did he say that?'

Amazed by this speech from the mouth of so young a child, Edea was at a loss to completely understand the question at first. 'Er, I really don't know, Ellone. Grown ups do and say strange things sometimes.'

'Ain't _that_ the truth,' Ellone replied, shaking her head in such a world weary way that the adults could not help laughing.

'Perhaps I can shed some light on this,' said Kiros, gently.

Looking up into his face, Edea was not at all sure she liked what she read in his expression. But she nodded slowly and stood up.

'Cid, would you please take Ellone, Ward and Squall to the dining hall and find them all something to eat?'

Cid agreed and, taking Squall from Kiros' grasp, ushered Ward and Ellone from the room. Edea followed to close the door behind them. She spoke whilst still gazing at the ancient grain, her voice muffled and indistinct.

'She's dead, isn't she?'

There was silence for a few moments, as if Kiros was struggling to find the right words to soften the blow, but in the end all he said was simply, 'Yes.'

Edea seemed to crumble before his eyes. She sank slowly to the floor, her face still pressed against the wood of the door. Great sobs racked her body, but she never uttered a sound. Kiros stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure whether or not he should try to comfort her. Eventually, the worst of her grief assuaged, Edea turned her tear-streaked face towards him.

'How?' was all she said, but Kiros felt that there was much more to her question.

'Raine went into labour early when Laguna left to look for Ellone. It was only a week or two, so it shouldn't have been a problem according to the midwife – but it was brought on by shock which, as I'm sure you know, can do funny things. After Squall was born, she named him, then the midwife suggested she take a nap. Sometime during the night, she fell into a fever and lost consciousness. She never woke up……..'

Kiros hung his head, his own grief clear. He had known Raine for only a short time, but had grown to love her dearly. He took a deep breath, and resumed his tale.

'Laguna made his way back to Winhill with Ellone, to be confronted with his baby son, but no welcoming wife. He declared that he deserved neither son nor daughter and had Squall registered under the name Leonhart. Then he asked Ward and me to bring the children to you.'

Edea was ready to explode with anger at this, but she realised at the last moment that Kiros was holding back tears. Perhaps there was more to this than he was able to express at this moment. Slowly she stood and walked over to Kiros. Taking him into her arms she gently stroked his back.

'It's OK, Kiros, you can let it all go, now,' she murmured, and was rewarded with the sound of Kiros' grief which he had held in check until now. There was far more to this tale, she was sure, than a father who simply brushed off his responsibilities when they became inconvenient. But there would be time enough to hear the full story; for now it was her job simply to help Kiros to unburden himself of his own hurt and pain.

A/N: well that's it – all finished! I hope you enjoyed this fic, even though it did wander a little from the facts of the game. Please, leave a review, so I know what you think of it!


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